San Rock Paintings vs San Rock Engravings – and the Wildlife featured in their Art Work

namibiaselfdrive.com welcomes you to Namibia! Upon arrival and Customs Clearing, the namibiaselfdrive.com Representative will be in attendance in the Arrival Hall at Hosea Kutako International Airport (Windhoek International Airport), with your name displayed on a namibiaselfdrive.com notice board.  After loading your luggage into your 4WD Rental Vehicle, the Representative will transfer you to your stay for the night. A full briefing on the itinerary, the vehicle and its' components and operations of the Travel Key App will be done in Windhoek City.

Your destination is Spitzkoppe. This iconic group of towering granite peaks rises abruptly from Namibia’s flat desert plains. A place to stop and stare – allowing the rough and weathered granite formations display their majestic grandeur. This is also a place where hikers, photographers and geologists come to enjoy the endless opportunities to live their passion. With relatively close proximity to the Atlantic Coast, the highest peak reaches about 1,728 m (5,669 ft) above sea level, with dramatic, smooth, weathered domes, sharp spires and natural arches sculpted by millions of years of erosion.

Breakfast at your stay-over starts the day. The route with directions on your personalized Travel App, seamlessly guide you out of the city and navigate the route the Iconic Spitzkoppe, around 280 kilometres to the East. The initial section of your journey crosses the Savanna Plains North of Windhoek - typical Namibian habitat to a wide range of wildlife species. After 40 minutes or less drive, the road turns West via the off-ramp from the B1 onto the B2 at Okahandja. A leisurely drive on a well-maintained asphalt road makes the going easy. Follow the directions on your Travel App to reach Spitzkoppe.

An early morning walk will get the system going before breakfast - reward yourself with a cool morning activity around the Spitzkoppe and the Pontok Mountains. Magic light transformations for photographers, vibrant birdlife for birding enthusiasts and crisp clean air to breathe for hikers. Now its time to head for the detailed breakfast table for replenishment. The short route to the Erongo Crater exposes the soul of Damaraland - seemingly inhabitable, its' hidden semi-precious stones are untold by prospectors who for ages mined these breath-taking stones. Man and beast adapted here, happy, content and ingenious in their ways. 

Upon arrival in the Erongo Mountain Crater, you notably enter a protected Erongo Mountain Nature Sanctuary, a restored, protected wilderness in the heart of Namibia’s volcanic Erongo Mountains. By staying at its lodges or supporting its conservation work, travellers directly help protect endangered and endemic species in one of Africa’s most unique landscapes.

Dream Destination for: Hikers, Photographers, Ancient Art Entusiasts, Wildlife Fanatics, 

Sunrise in the Erongo Mountain, might prove itself as one of the highlights of your Safari. A quiet, undisturbed night suddenly changes into an active vibrant and somewhat loud awakening for Man and Beast. Take a refreshing morning walk or wait for that exact moment that light breaks over the spectacular horizon for a world-class photograph - memories in the making! After breakfast, the road leads direction North-East - Namibia's majestic Brandberg Mountain awaits.  First a quick stop and brisk walk to see the White Lady San Painting at -21.1063 and 14.657 - this mythical San Rock Painting brings with it a lot of arguments, conspiracy theories and that good old reliable guessing - a must see before reaching the comfort of your stay to enjoy that well deserved cold beverage!

Coffee on the porch while arranging luggage for the Safari leg to Twyfelfontein and your stay-over – days leg estimated at 155 kilometres.

Damaraland landscapes may appear sparse at first glance but, it rewards those who take a closer look. Along dry riverbanks, hidden plant life quietly flourishes. Across the vast plains, lone oryx traverse seemingly barren terrain, while zebra, kudu, and eland move quietly through Mopane woodlands. In some areas, lions may even be spotted resting along rocky riverbanks—a rare and thrilling sight.

Don’t rush, your morning may turn into an eventful session as Damaraland is known for its unpredictability – Safari excitement with a twist!

Before driving to your stay-over, visit the Organ Pipes rock formation at coordinates -20.59 and 14.37 as well as Burnt Mountain at coordinates -20.61and 14.41

As the granite boulder landscape disappear in the rear-view mirror, the open plains of Central Damaraland open up. The unusual landscape with dry riverbeds and seemingly inhabitable plains holds a lot of rewards for the patient Traveller.

Slow down, stop and breathe. The well camouflaged Desert Adapted mammals of Damaraland often demands a focussed approach – take a closer look at your immediate environment to locate Namibia’s National Plant. Yes, this is home to the iconic Welwitschia mirabilis: botanists refer to it as the “botanical wonder” with a number of common names in local lingua: tree tumbo (English), tweeblaarkanniedood (Afrikaans, meaning "two-leaves-can't-die"), onyanga (Herero, meaning "onion of the desert"), and tumboa (Angolan) – expect them in the vicinity of Bergsig, close to the turn-off to the Skeleton Coast.

Further up North, the historic Palmwag(“Guarding Palms”) appears out of nowhere – re-fuelling here is compulsory and something to eat might be a good idea. Palmwag is loaded with history – once served as a police outpost to prevent poaching and potential decimation of the rare and unique desert adapted elephant, rhino, giraffe and lion in this area.

Your stay-over is located 83 kilometres or one and a half hours North of Palmwag. Use the opportunity to exercise the eyes, scouting for Wildlife spotting as you might need this skill even more during the Etosha National Park visit. This is the perfect place to contemplate your experiences in Damaraland before embarking on the totally different landscapes of Southern and Central Etosha.

An early start is suggested for the 380-kilometre leg to Etosha National Park (196 kilometres Gravel & 184 Asphalt). The exciting ascent up Grootberg Pass is rewarded with a spectacular view from the top over the plains towards the West.

The last stretch of gravel road to Kamanjab demands careful navigation. A sudden change in the vegetation to bush and savanna plains, interrupted by Camel Thorn clad river banks, makes this area a favourite for the bigger mammals: Kudu, Oryx, Eland. The riverbeds attract Giraffe and Elephant. Lower speeds are advised as the appearance of these animals are totally unpredictable. Birding is evenly popular here as the diverse landscapes attracts various specialist bird species. Enjoy the sightings.

Kamanjab will mark the end of the end of gravel road driving with the exception of the stretch through Etosha National Park. Make sure to re-fuel at Kamanjab and it might be a good idea to have a light lunch at Oppie Koppie.

Upon arrival at your stay-over, request the earliest breakfast possible to enable you to start the full day in Etosha as early as possible.

“The Great White Place” – Etosha National Park, Namibia’s flagship national park, hosting a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Also amphibians and believe it or not, one species of fish!

A map of the park is included in your travel pack/Travel App which will serve as a valuable guide to locate waterholes and hotspots around the edge of the Etosha Pan. The morning can be spent on the different routes up to Halali Camp, approximately half-way through the journey towards the East.

Now is the time to implement all those wildlife spotting skills you developed en route to Etosha. Animals, in particular Lions are very well camouflaged in this environment. During mid-day heat, animals hides in the shade of trees and bushes – focus on shady areas at mid-day periods.

There is nothing more rewarding than patience at a waterhole – it is a case of wait and see. Animals come and go all the time – every day, no matter what time – thirst conquer everything.

Keep an eye on the clock to make sure that you can pay a visit to Fishers’ Pan before having to exit the Park. Your stay-over is located a short drive away, hang in there!!

Departing Eastern Etosha signals the penultimate day in the Wilderness of Namibia – destination: the evenly exciting Waterberg Plateau National Park and surroundings.

Diversity is the Waterberg Plateau National Park’s secret weapon - variety of Fauna & Flora can be found at Waterberg: from eye-catching plants like the flame lily to ten different fern species (one endemic to Namibia and Angola – growing along the fountains below the plateau ridge) to Rhino, the diminutive and endearing Damara dik-dik and a wide variety of other antelope. The diversity in landscapes creates an untold haven for birds – from raptors higher up to the guys who prefer the lower scrub woodlands – Birding Safari with no limits.

The significance of the Park is that it has been proclaimed as a nature reserve in 1972. At 405km², the Park has been identified as a long-term, sustainable sanctuary and breeding centre for endangered and protected Wildlife species. With limited accessibility from the plains below, the plateau served as an impenetrable fortress to provide protection from poaching and human- and livestock-encroachment. It started out as the perfect sanctuary for eland, but specialists soon realised the value of the site to establish other breeding populations. Black and White Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Red Hartebeest, Roan Antelope and Giant Sable Antelopes in particular have been prioritized for re-introduction. Overwhelming successful resulted in surplus animals now being captured and released into other areas where poaching and human encroachment created challenges.

The top of the Plateau is only accessible on guided game drives that can be arranged by your stay-over – early morning or afternoon.

An early morning activity is highly recommended for that last exposure to the Wildlife and Nature of Namibia.

A short hike or just relaxing on the patio overlooking the landscape will assist to digest the memories made on this unique Northern Namibia Safari.

After breakfast the last leg of the self-drive experience (estimated at 315 kilometres) navigates to the stay-over in Windhoek.

A night in one of Windhoek’s many exciting restaurants is the perfect setting to conclude your Namibia self-drive Safari – tap yourself on the back, you are now a true Friend of the Namibian People.

Depending on the departure flight, a day-room will be available on request.

The transfer service will pick you up at least 4 hours before scheduled departure of your flight.

On behalf of the Population of Namibia: Thank you for visiting our beloved Country! Each and every Visitor is important to us and we once again thank you for spending your time and resources to this visit.

Bon Voyage!